La Rochefoucauld is credited with having observed that the only thing surprising us should be the existence of some things that can still surprise us (unsurprisingly, I was unable to procure the original French quote). One can easily interpret this to mean that the future certainly holds many unexpected marvels and strange occurrences, both good and bad. In my personal experience, there is no need to wait for future surprises, because the past already has so many unfathomably odd things, as documented in old books and photographs. I am constantly on the lookout for odd pictures that represent the various states which our civilization has gone through: in technology, medical science, art and advertising. Here are some of my curious discoveries, that have become popular with the site’s visitors: